Improvement in hand-trucks



IH. s. La mum-2TH..V

Hand-Trucks.

No. 137,086, PatentedMarch 25,1873.

WsTN-ESBES.

INVENTUH.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIGE.

HENRY S. LA TOURETTE, OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

IMPROVEMENT IN `HAND-TRUCKS.

Specication forming part of Letters Patent No. 137,086, dated March 25, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY S. LATOURETTE, of the city or" New Orleans, parish of Orleans and State of Louisiana, have made certain Improvements in Hand-Trucks; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ofthe same, reference being had to the accompanying illustrative drawing forming a part of this specification.

My improvement relates to the application of a simple device to an ordinary hand-truck, by means of which I render the same practically useful and exceedingly convenient for the purpose of handlingl railroad -iron rails, especially so when it is required to remove them from the wharf over a gangway to a vessel, or from a vessel to a wharf, or to transport them from one place to another; the object being to avoid the burdensome task of conveying them on levers between several men, as has been to a great extent the custom ary method.

It will be more clearly understood by reference to the drawing, whereon the similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts of my device.

The drawing shows a perspective View of an ordinary hand-truck, such as is usually employed for the removal or transportation of bales of cotton. Upon this truck and at either end thereof I place the cross-bars A and B, as shown. These bars, whether of Wood or metal,

are provided on their lower sides with shoulders c, which serve to prevent the said crossbars A and B from slipping laterally from the truck-beams. The said cross-bars are, more over, provided with the slots or grooves b, into which the bar of iron is placed and so balanced that the'truck may be easily raised at the handles by one man, and wheeled to the required place .of deposit. The cross-bar B upon the forward end of the truck is made of greater height than the cross-bar A, to the end of elevating the forward end of the rail, so that when the rear o r handle end of the truck is raised the said forward end of the rail will not touch the ground or planks upon which the same maybe moved.

The utility of my invention is apparent, not only for the removal of railroad bars, but likewise will serve the useful purpose of handlin g other long bars of iron or lengthy timber, as may be required.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is the following:

The cross-bars A and B when provided with the shoulders a and grooves I), and when the said cross-bars are employed upon a handtruck, as and for the purposes herein set forth.

H. S. LA TOURETTE.

Witnesses:

H. N. J ENKINs,

E. H. LEvY. 

